


And the winner is...

by prowlish



Series: End of Summer Twitter Reqs 2015 [2]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Bickering, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-24 00:56:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4899334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prowlish/pseuds/prowlish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Whoever appointed the judges at this competition needs to have their priorities examined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And the winner is...

**Author's Note:**

> for @steelstardust on twitter
> 
> the prompt was "as science fair judges/participants" - hope you like!

Perceptor was sure that judging a junior scientific competition had never been such a long and arduous task. But then, he should've known, with Brainstorm as a fellow judge. Sure, he was brilliant (a reluctant admission). Sure, the board wanted a "broader range of representation"... but did that really have to mean picking Brainstorm? Surely there were other options. More agreeable, less stubborn, less _ridiculous_ options...

And surely he wasn't wrong for thinking it! Because the process had only been slowed down the entire time. Until now, Perceptor wasn't sure if he'd ever truly known the reason why many chose the hyperbole of saying their heads would explode in frustration!

Perceptor sighed as he tapped his stylus on the table next to his datapad. "This shouldn't be hard," he finally said, forcing equanimity into his tone. "There is a winner here. I believe the choice is logical."

"Logical?" Brainstorm repeated. He snickered. "More like dead obvious!"

Something about his tone screamed unprofessional, but Perceptor grit his jaw and continued. "Whatever the phrase, I'm glad we agree." About _something_.

"Sure," Brainstorm replied, pushing over his 'pad to show his top picks.

Perceptor balked.

"Something wrong?" Brainstorm drawled when Perceptor's struggle continued for a few moments. The red mech finally cleared his vocalizer and merely pointed at Brainstorm's first place pick. It wouldn't do for any mechs in the vicinity to get excited over hearing names from the judges. "Why him?"

Brainstorm shot Perceptor a look that he didn't need the rest of his face uncovered to convey. "I thought the choice was obvious," he said.

Perceptor sighed. "His hypothesis was shaky to start with."

"Oh please," Brainstorm said. "He got a workable idea and he worked it! He replicated the results. And with all ducks in a row on the data, for your liking. His notes -- "

"-- are a mess," Perceptor interjected. He couldn't believe this! 

Brainstorm rustled his wings. "At least they're _fun_ to read," he muttered. "Why? Who'd you pick, then?"

Shaking his helm, Perceptor offered his own datapad. 

Brainstorm's squawk was hardly dignified. "Her?" he said. "She near put me to sleep!"

Perceptor rolled his optics. He couldn't help it. "Her presentation was excellently put together. She executed everything in her project with precision and care, and -- "

The jet interrupted with a muffled _pfft_ from behind his facemask. "She wasn't exactly original. How many of those are seen every single year? Now, _my_ choice -- "

"His invention was barely stable!" Perceptor argued. "He could've brought the entire west wing down!"

Brainstorm chuckled. "That would've been something, huh?"

Perceptor let a blast of frustration from his vents. "Yes! A disaster! It would've been a disaster, Brainstorm!"

"Ah... but interesting," he said, holding up an index finger. As if he'd made some kind of a point. Perceptor was sure the jet was grinning behind that mask.

"That's not the point," Perceptor said. His tone had calmed, though it was strained. 

"And why not?" Now Brainstorm seemed affronted.

"This is a junior science show," he said, gesturing around the hall.

Brainstorm crossed his arms. "And that means stifling creativity?"

"No, it means introducing mechs into the field who have a sense of diligence and responsibility in their work!"

There was silence between them now, and Perceptor sighed. He gazed at the crowds again. When would this day ever end...?

**Author's Note:**

> visit me on [@prowlish](https://twitter.com/prowlish) on twitter!! :)


End file.
